We’re going away next week and that means one thing – I’ve got to pack! Some people will be experts at packing by now, others not so much. But one thing’s for sure, we’ve all been through these seven emotional stages of packing at some point in our lives. Queue the packing panic! 1. Feeling prepared You start off the packing process strong, making a list of everything you need to take with you so you don’t forget anything! At this point you’re feeling pretty relaxed about the whole thing. 2. Feeling productive Then there’s the burst of productivity before you begin. It’s time to wash everything you need,…

Back when we were saving up for our first trip, I was working in a museum and putting in every hour I possibly could. I worked six days a week and Monday was my only day off. But it was worth it because I knew we were going travelling and I knew it wasn’t forever. But as you settle into your career and adult life, you quickly learn how important work-life balance is, even if you’re chasing a dream. Why is balance so important? There’s a famous quote out there which says ‘nothing worth having comes easy’. And while this may be true, it also doesn’t mean you should work…

This week we did something very exciting – we bought a van! You’ll see from the pictures it doesn’t look like much right now, but we’re so happy with our new project. We’ve always wanted to convert our own van into a camper, and when the opportunity presented itself, we couldn’t resist. Do you believe in right place, right time? Well it was that kind of situation. So here she is – we’d like to introduce you to our new love, Stella. Our plans for the future The plan is to stick to a budget, and see how little we can spend on building our dream camper! This means writing…

Travelling can influence our lives in so many positive ways. For us, it made us realise that we don’t want to spend our lives chasing money, or possessions, or saving for a house we can never really afford. We want to see the world, expand our minds and chase adventure instead. Whether it’s going for months at a time, or just the odd weekend away whenever you can escape the office, everyone should travel as much as they can. And it doesn’t have to be far! Just take some time to get away from your usual surroundings. Travelling is good for your mind, body and soul. Here’s six reasons why…

Focusing on wellness means touching on some serious subjects, and having meaningful conversations. While we always aim to be uplifting and inspiring, sometimes it’s important to remember that it’s OK not to be OK. This week represents Mental Health Awareness Week across the UK and many other nations. With so many people in the world suffering with mental health issues, this really is something we need to be talking about, and something close to my heart. Depression and anxiety are some of the most common mental health conditions. Yet so many people don’t recognise the signs. Many of the symptoms, causes and treatments are the same, and those who suffer…

Hey guys, No don’t worry, I haven’t been smoking the funny stuff! Despite the title of this blog post this is not me asking a philosophical question about the meaning of life and why we’re here. Instead I just wanted to take a moment to introduce us a bit better and explain what Larkin Around is all about. As it says on our ‘About Us’ page, we’re a couple of aspiring nomads, dreaming of a life of freedom and happiness. We’re currently converting our own campervan and I will be sharing updates on this as we go. And hopefully one day we’ll be living that #VanLife full time! So what…

If someone said to you ‘would you like me to pay for you to travel the world for three months’, what would you say? Most of you are probably thinking ‘hell yeah – I’ll go pack my bags!’ This is a job opportunity that I found online today – needless to say I have to apply, right?! The only catch is that to apply you have to submit a two minute video of your hometown. Now Fleet, Hampshire is lovely, but it’s not the most exciting place in the world… So we’ll have to be very creative with this one. Why am I telling you this? Because recently I’ve been…